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Battle (Term)
A Battle, also known as a Fight or an Encounter, is an event in the Final Cross series and one of the key modules that make up a game. A battle can be triggered from either the Field or World Map modules, most commonly through the Random Encounter system. In simple terms, a battle is commonly made up of a player party and an opposing party. The common objective of a battle is to defeat the opposing party by utilizing the abilities on the command menu. A unit is removed from battle when its HP stat reduces to 0, imposing the Knocked Out status. Battles are made up of a large number of intricate systems and devices that affect the way the game is played. Each game is usually defined by its primary system, known simply as its battle system. Different battle systems vary on the time gauge, or lack thereof, and the order of attacks launched by each individual unit. All of the games have a status bar that include the player's important stats, such as HP and MP. On this bar is a command window that appears when a party unit has a chance to select a command. The commands have different effects, affecting a varying number of targets, and may make use of different elements and statuses. While the enemy party only varies in its abilities, and in some games its level, the player party has many more components that affect their performance in battle. The player's equipment allows them to use different strength and strains of weapon for different purposes. They also have different types of armor to protect against enemy attacks. Many games in the series also emulate an accessory option, which allows players to add support abilities and resist or absorb different statuses and elements. Further things that develop as the party progresses are the leveling systems. In the majority of games in the series, players increase levels based on the Experience Points gained. In a smaller number of games, abilities are learned by gaining Ability Points. After the player party defeats the enemy party, they will receive these rewards, often in addition to gil and any Item Drops the enemy may harbor. These are often displayed in the Battle Results screen. If the player should lose, with a few exceptions, the player will receive a Game Over. Encountering A battle can be entered from either the World Map screen or the field screen. The most common type of encounter on the World Map is the random encounter, however, some games have a number of Fixed Encounters on the World Map,The field is where most forms of battle encounters are engaged, particularly in dungeons. Random Encounter Main article: Random Encounter Random encounters are the primary method of engaging in battles in most games in the series, and the primary source of Level Grinding. The World Map is covered in random encounters over different terrains. Usually encounters are avoided when traveling in vehicles. Different places have different encounter rates. Sometimes there are one-off random encounters, These often yield results, such as the recruiting of a new party member, the recruiting of a summon, or other healthy results. Fixed Encounters '' Main Article: Fixed Encounter'' Fixed encounters refer to encounters fought when a player moves into a set position. There are two primary types: the invisible, and the visible.These are often used to protect treasure chests or to hinder progress through dungeons. Visible fixed encounters are visible things the player can see before they move into it. Visible fixed encounters are used to allow the player to choose their route to avoid traps. Some fixed encounters remain after the battle is engaged, while others disappear after being encountered once. One-time only fixed encounters are used for boss battles or semi-boss battles,Permanent fixed encounters can be exploited as a quick source of grinding as the battle can be re-entered in less steps than random encounters, and often hold more rewards. Action Encounters '' Main Article; Action Encounter'' Action encounters are encounters that require the pressing of an action button before a battle occurs.Due to the options involved, the player can easily withhold from these battles before they happen and Menu grind before starting them. Action encounters are a common method for boss battles. Action encounters are exploited by the game through treasure chests. Types There are numerous types of battle the player can participate in. The bulk of battles have the simple requirement of defeating all units of the enemy party. However some will only require the player to defeat a certain enemy to become victorious, or not allow a certain target to be defeated or face defeat or other lesser drawbacks. Other types of battle give the player little or no control over the outcome of the battle and lets various scripted components make the decision. Normal Usually triggered by random encounters. A normal battle sets the basic objective of defeating all units of the enemy party through any means available. Most battles use this format, and all but a few random encounters and spawning enemy encounters do not. Boss Battle A regular boss functions exactly the same as a regular battle, but it is usually encountered through fixed script encounters, or action encounters,and there is a notable higher level of difficulty. The player is more likely to use a strategy as various parts of their arsenal may be less effective, while other less used abilities may be more beneficial in the battle. Phase Battle Certain battles will occur in phases, which means that when one enemy is defeated, another enemy will take its place, it will transform into another enemy, or its battle script will change. Battle Layout Battles use a basic layout in most games where the player party and enemy party are set in a formation, normally on opposite sides of the screen, on top of a battle background. The bottom of the screen holds the status bar, and a bar at the top of the screen reads enemy ability names and dialogue when necessary. Players Party '' '' ''See also: Party'' The player party is comprised of a number of playable characters. A party usually consists of three or four members, but varies to a maximum of six. Moving a player to back row will decrease damage dealt to enemy units, while decreasing the damage inflicted by the enemy to the player unit. The player party is built up of differing units. There is usually an amount of user customization in how the player wants to manipulate their units, however, there is also a level of initial individual differences, as well as different level progression in different areas. Attack Formation '' Main Articl: Attack Formations'' The term attack formation refers to both the placement of the two parties during a battle and the order of turns. In a normal formation, where the player party is at one side of the screen, and the enemy party is at the opposite, there are three types of battle. A normal battle gives both parties an equal chance of launching the first attack. In a preemptive attack the player is guaranteed to get the first chance to strike, whereas a surprise attack guarantees the enemy party will strike first. Status Bar The status bar holds important information about the player party during the battle. It will display the unit's names, their HP and MP stats, and any other necessary information,if applicable. The status bar will also define the players in critical health by highlighting the HP in yellow, and in red or gray if the player is Knocked Out. When a unit's time gauge is full, or when it is the player party's turn to select attacks, a command window appears that allows the user to select the unit's commands, often navigated with the famous finger cursor. There is often a list of commands, some of which are battle commands, others leading to skillsets with sub-menus, such as Black Magick orItem. Most units have the Attack and Item command by default, in addition to the Defend options that allow the player to take half damage for a round or switch rows. These options are usually found by pressing left and right on the Command window. In earlier games, the player has the Escape command as a turn's action instead of the controller input device that allows the player party to attempt escape during their turns. Systems Battle Systems '' Main Article; Battle Systems'' ''Inventory'' Category:Miscellaneous